ese snares. "For she hath cast down many strong,"
ver. 26. Many a tall cedar hath fallen by that fellowship. It is the way
to hell, ver. 27. See chap. viii. 13.

Chap. x. shows us the very different estate of the godly and wicked, both
in regard of light and knowledge concerning duty, and of blessings
promised. Ver. 6, 9, 11, 20, 23. "Blessings are upon the head of the just,
but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. He that walketh uprightly,
walketh surely, but he that perverteth his ways, shall be known. The mouth
of a righteous man is a well of life, but violence covereth the mouth of
the wicked. The tongue of the just is as choice silver, the heart of the
wicked is little worth. It is as a sport to a fool to do mischief but a
man of understanding hath wisdom," &c. Ver. 24, 25, 28, 31, 32, which show
us, that if the Lord's mind be revealed to any concerning the present
courses, it must be to his poor people that wait on him, and not to all
the wicked and ungodly in the land, who almost only are satisfied and
clear in the course, who yet before were never satisfied. And beside,
though the Lord be chastising his people, yet one may join with them
without fear of wrath and indignation on that account, and with hope of
partaking of their blessings, when he cannot and dare not join with a
wicked party pursued with wrath and indignation in the same dispensation,
which may be more clear from chap. xi. 3, 5, 8. "The integrity of the
upright shall guide them, but the perverseness of transgressors shall
destroy them. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way, but
the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. The righteous is delivered
out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead." And verses 10, 11,
show the different condition of people under wicked rulers and godly. All
the wicked now rejoice. None shouts but they. They think their day is
come. The godly generally hang their head and are discountenanced, even as
Psal. xii. The 21 and 31 verses show, that when godly men are chastised
and punished in the earth for their sins, "much more the wicked,"
especially when the godly were chastised for partaking with them,
according to 1 Pet. iv 17, 18, Isa. x 12, and xlix. 26.

Chap. xii. 13. "They are snared by the transgression of their lips." Their
ordinary common speeches they drop out with, declare them, and make their
cause, more hateful than other pretences, it is covered with, would
permit. Yea, they sp